Means for rotatably mounting carpet rolls and the like



Sept; 1959 c. c. RIEMENSCHNEIDER 2,904,278

MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING CARPET RQLLS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 14, 1954 mmvron 212mm! Ill: 1

MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING CARPET ROLLS AND THE LIKE Claud C. Riemenschneider, Western Springs, Ill. Application December 14, 1954, Seiial No. 475,204 '5 Claims. (Cl. 242-721) This invention relates to facilities for and a method of 'rotatably supporting rolls which have a central opening therethrough, and especially rolls of carpeting or the like which are wound on a tube at the mill, the invention having reference more particularly to such facilities and method wherein the roll is supported on a rotatable spindle and internally centered thereon and secured thereto to'rotate therewith.

Carpeting and the like are supplied in rolls from which lengths of the material are unwound for display or cutting desired lengths therefrom, and it is oftentimes necessary to rewind on the roll all or part of the material thus unwound.

Because of the weight thereof, rolls of carpeting and the like cannot be handled manually to unwind the mate rial therefrom and rewind the material thereon, and it is customary to support such rolls, as shown, for example, in my Patent No. 2,601,560, on a spindle which extends centrally through the roll and is supported at the opposite ends so that the roll is rotatable for winding and unwinding the material.

The spindle is usually supported at its ends in bearings so that it rotates readily and the spindle provided at one or both ends with facilities by which a crank or other operating means may be attached or coupled thereto for turning the spindle, as shown in said Patent No. 2,601,560.

It is important that the roll of carpeting be secured to the spindle to turn therewith, and centered thereon to facilitate the turning movement thereof, and as rolls of carpeting are wound at the mill on a tube, usually of cardboard or the like, and supplied to the trade in this manner, and as the spindles heretofore provided in equipment for subsequently supporting the rolls, as above explained, for unwinding the carpeting from the roll and rewinding the carpeting thereon, were not adapted to center and lock the thus supplied rolls thereon so that the roll of carpeting would rotate with certainty with the spindle, it has been customary in storing and handling the thus supplied rolls to clamp one end of the carpeting on the roll to the spindle on which the carpeting is to be supported, as for example by clamps such as shown in my Patent No. 2,601,560, and wind the newly furnished roll of carpeting on the spindle.

It is desirable, however, to avoid the time and expense necessarily occasioned by the Winding of newly supplied rolls of carpeting on the supporting spindle and it is the principal object of the present invention to provide facilities whereby rolls of carpeting and the like may be readily and conveniently applied on and secured to the supporting spindle in the form in which they are furnished from the mill and thus avoid the necessity of wind ing the carpeting on the spindle on which it is to be supported in the storage and handling of the thus supplied carpeting.

In thus supporting the newly supplied rolls, it is im- .portant that the spindle be of such diameter that it may be inserted freely through the cardboard tube at the center of the supplied roll and at the same time Will cen- Patented Sept. 15, 1959 ter the roll thereon so as to rotate readily with the spindle, and it is also important that the spindle have no projecting parts which may interfere with the inserting of the spindle through the central tube of the roll of carpeting -'that the roll be locked securely on the spindle to turn therewith-that the locking facilities be arranged for locking engagement within the cardboard tube of the roll so that they do not interfere with the winding and unwinding of the carpeting, or any part thereof and it is desirable that the locking and centering facilities be incorporated with the spindle in a single self contained unit, and these are other advantages and objects of the present invention, an illustrative embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a front view showing fragmentarily carpet roll supporting and handling facilities similar to that of my aforesaid Patent No. 2,601,560 and having a roll of carpeting supported thereon in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, greatly enlarged and with an intermediate portion broken away, of an end portion of the roll supporting spindle of Fig. 1 and showing a fragmentary portion of the roll centered and locked thereon;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, similar to that of Fig. 2, of the end portion of the roll supporting spindle but showing the roll centering and locking facilities thereof retracted into the spindle; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. v

In the drawing the reference numeral 10 indicates a roll of carpeting or the like which, as explained above, is usually supplied with a tube 11 therein, for example a stiff heavy cardboard tube, on which the carpeting is wound at the mill and which extends centrally through the roll 10 from end to end.

For supporting this roll 10 of carpeting, storage and handling facilities similar to those of my aforesaid Patent 2,601,560 are shown in the drawing for illustrative purposes, and comprise an overhead beam 12 which is adequately supported and of any desired length and serves as a rail on which hangers 13 are individually mounted for movement therealong, said hangers 13 being suspended from the rail 12. by wheels 14 which are located at the upper ends of the hangers 13 and roll along the rail.

The hangers 13 are used in pairs to support the rolls of carpeting and the hangers of each pair are spaced an appropriate distance to accommodate therebetween carpet rolls of the particular length to be mounted thereon, and each hanger 13 has bearing members 15 thereon and at an elevation corresponding to that of the companion hanger to receive the opposite ends respectively of spindles 011 which the rolls of carpeting are mounted.

Preferably the bearing members 15 are open at the top so that the carpet supporting spindle may be readily mounted thereon and removed therefrom by merely lowering the spindle ends thereon and lifting the spindle ends therefrom, and these bearing members 15 are preferably adjustable along the hangers to selected elevations. To this end, and as shown in my aforesaid Patent 2,601,560, the hangers 13 are provided with vertically spaced slots 16 and the bearing members 15 are in the form of brackets which have lugs 17 which engage the slots 16 to detachably mount the bearing members 15 on the hangers.

For mounting the roll 10 of carpeting on the standards 13 a tubular spindle 18 is employed which is of a diameter to be inserted freely through the tube 11 with which the carpet rolls are usually furnished, as aforesaid, and of appropriate length so it will project a substantial distance beyond the ends of the roll for mounting in the bearing members .15 of the hangers 13, and this 'tu'bular spindle 18 is provided with expansible means therein which are normally retracted sufiiciently so that they do not interfere with the inserting of the spindle through the tube 1 1.

Two expansion devices are preferably employed and located respectively at or near and inwardly of the opposite ends respectively of the roll and each operable from the respective end of the spindle to center and lock the roll on the spindle, these expansion devices being indicated as a whole respectively by the reference numerals 19 in Fig. 1.

As illustrated, each expansion device comprises a block 20 which is slidable within the tubular spindle and locked in the spindle at the desired place by cap screws 21 which are threaded into the block 20 at intervals therearound and have the heads thereof located in openings 22 which are provided therefor in the wall of the tubular spindle 18, and the block 20 is formed with three radial slots 23 to receive respectively the corresponding ends of three fingers 24 each of which is pivoted in the respective radial slot 23 on a pin '25.

At the location of each finger 24, the tubular spindle 18 is provided with a slotted opening 26 through which the respective finger 24 may be swung on its pivot 25 from the normal position, which is shown in Fig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the fingers serve to center and lock the roll of carpeting on the spindle, and it is to be noted that in the retracted position of Fig. 3 the fingers 24 are contained entirely within the tubular spindle 18 so that they do not interfere in the operation of inserting or removing the spindle from the roll.

Each block 20 is provided with a threaded stem 27 which is engaged in a central threaded opening of the block and projects from said block toward the respective end of the spindle 18 and is provided with a wrench accommodating formation at the outer end, for example a square end as indicated at 28, to which a wrench may be applied through the end of the spindle for winding the threaded stern.

At its inner end, each stem 27 is provided with a head 29 which cooperates with the fingers 24 of the respective locking device 19 and is operable by threaded adjustment of the threaded stem 27 in the block 20 to swing the fingers 24 uniformly outward through the slotted openings 26 to a projecting position in which they engage the tube 11 of the carpet roll on the spindle and center the roll thereon, as shown in Fig. 4, and lock the roll on the spin dle 18 in the thus centered position so that the carpet roll is fixed thereon in a manner to rotate with the spindle 18.

The fingers 24 have long bearing edges 30 witlTwhich the enlargement or head 29 of the threaded stem 27 cooperates and these edges 30 terminate at the free ends of the fingers 24 in an outward curvature, as indicated at 31, to provide a sled runner effect by which they ride outwardly on the enlargement or head 29, and the outer ends of these fingers are also curved at the place of engagement with the carpet roll tube 11 to clamp and lock effectively thereagainst without punching through the tube 11 and perhaps damaging the inner winding of carpeting thereon.

Thus the roll of carpeting as supplied from the mill may be mounted on the spindle 18 of the carpet storage handling equipment by merely inserting the spindle 18 through the tube 11 of the carpet roll while the fingers 24 of the locking devices 19 are retracting to the proper posit on in the roll .18, and while thus inserted the threaded stems are turned, by a wrench inserted in the respective end of the spindle 18, to expand the fingers 24 to center the spindle 18 in the tube 11 and lock the spindle centrally in the tube 11 and roll 10 so that when the spindle 18 with roll 1t) thereon is mounted in the bearing brackets 15 of the hangers 13 the carpet roll is supported centrally on the spindle and locked thereon to rotate therewith, and

the carpeting may be readily rolled and unrolled by merely turning the spindle 18.

Any convenient means may be provided for turning the spindle 18, as for example by a crank or a power operated device such as shown in my copending application Serial No. 443,280, filed July 14, 1954, and any convenient means may be provided for cooperatively engaging the crank or other spindle turning means therewith, such as internal lugs 32 at opposite sides of the tube ends.

Preferably the spindle 18 is provided at each end with a flanged member or spool to engage in the bearing members 15 and prevent endwise movement of the spindle in the bearing members or displacement of the bearing members and hangers 13 from the ends of the spindle and it is desirable that at least one of these spools be removable from the spindle for inserting the spindle through the carpet roll tube 11.

These spools are indicated respectively at 33 and 34 and the spool 33 is secured on the end of the spindle 18 by a set screw 35 so that it is removable and the other spool 34 may be permanently attached, as for example by spot welding, to the spindle 18.

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the principles of the invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

. 1. Equipment for storing and handling rolls of carpet ing and the like which have a central opening extending axially therethrough, said equipment comprising a tubular spindle which is insertable endwise through the central opening of the roll, a pair of bearings by which the spindle is rotatably supported with the roll thereon, said bearings being spaced apart to accommodate the roll endwise therebetween and said spindle having opposite end portions thereof engaged in said bearings and removable therefrom to permit insertion of the spindle through the central opening of the roll, and locking means carried by the spindle and receivable within the central opening of the roll and adjustable from the end of the spindle through the portion thereof in the bearing to internally engage the roll and thereby lock the roll on the spindle to rotate therewith, said means comprising locking members which are arranged at intervals around the spindle and a wedge by which said locking members are movable radially outward from the interior of the spindle and a threaded member in the spindle and operatively accessible from the end of the spindle to adjust said wedge member to move said locking members radially outward as aforesaid, the said means being located entirely within the length of the tubular spindle with the tubular spindle extending beyond said threaded operating member of said means and open at said end thereof for free reception therein of a member by which said threaded operating member is operable to adjust said wedge.

2. Equipment for storing and handling rolls of carpeting and the like which have a central opening extending axially therethrough, said equipment comprising a pair of laterally spaced uprights, a tubular spindle which is insertable endwise through the central opening of the roll, a pair of bearings by which the spindle is rotatably supported with the roll thereon, said bearings being mounted respectively on said uprights and spaced apart to accommodate the roll endwise therebetween and said spindle having opposite end portions thereof engaged in said bearings and removable therefrom to permit insertion of the spindle through the central opening of the roll as aforesaid, the said spindle being provided between the bearings with roll centering and locking means comprising a plurality of members which are contractable into the spindle to a position to be receivable in the central opening of the roll when the spindle is inserted therein as aforesaid and are projectable outwardly from the spindle at intervals therearound to engage the central opening of the roll in a manner to center the spindle in the central opening of the roll and lock the roll on the spindle for rotation therewith, the tubular portion of the spindle in one of the aforesaid bearings having a passage therethrough which extends to and is open at the end of the spindle, and the spindle having therein a rotatable member by which the said plurality of members are projectable outwardly from the spindle as aforesaid and to which power is applicable through said open end of the spindle to rotate said rotatable member, the said roll centering and locking means being a complete unit assembly located entirely within the length of the tubular spindle and comprising a body fitted to the interior of the tubular spindle to slide therein and secured thereto in a fixed position and having the said plurality of members each pivotally attached thereto and having the rotatable member rotatably mounted therein.

3. Equipment for storing and handling rolls of carpeting and the like which have a central opening extending axially therethrough, said equipment comprising a pair of laterally spaced uprights, a spindle which is insertable endwise through the central opening of the roll, a pair of bearings by which the spindle is rotatably supported with the roll thereon, said bearings being mounted respectively on said uprights and spaced apart to accommodate the roll endwise therebetween and said spindle having opposite end portions thereof engaged in said bearings and removable therefrom to permit insertion of the spindle through the central opening of the roll as aforesaid, the said spindle being a length of tubing which is open at at least one end and is provided between the bearings with roll centering and locking means comprising a plurality of members which are contractable into the tube to a position to be receivable in the central opening of the roll when the spindle is inserted therein as aforesaid and are projectable outwardly from the tube at intervals therearound to engage the central opening of the roll in a manner to center the spindle in the central opening of the roll and lock the roll on the spindle for rotation therewith, the said plurality of members having within the tube a rotary member by which they are operable and to which power is applicable through the aforesaid open end of the tube at one side of a bearing and through the bearing to the said plurality of members at the other side of the bearing for operating said plurality of members, the said roll centering and locking means being a complete unit assembly located entirely within the length of tubing and comprising a body fitted to the interior of the tubing to slide therein and secured thereto in a fixed position and having the said plurality of members each pivotally attached thereto and having the rotatable member rotatably mounted therein.

4. Equipment for storing and handling rolls of carpeting and the like which have a central opening extending axially therethrough, said equipment comprising a pair of laterally spaced uprights, a spindle which is insertable endwise through the central opening of the roll, a pair of bearings by which the spindle is rotatably supported with the roll thereon, said bearings being mounted respectively on said uprights and spaced apart to accommodate the roll endwise therebetween and said spindle having opposite end portions thereof engaged in said bearings and removable therefrom to permit insertion of the spindle through the central opening of the roll as aforesaid, the said spindle being a length of tubing which is open at both ends beyond the outer ends respectively of the bearings and is provided between the respective inner ends of the bearings with two spaced apart roll centering and locking devices each of which comprises a plurality of members which are contractable into the tube to a position to be receivable in the central opening of the roll when the spindle is inserted therein as aforesaid and are projectable outwardly from the tube at intervals therearound to engage the central opening of the roll in a manner to center the spindle in the central opening of the roll and lock the roll on the spindle for rotation therewith, each said device being individually operable and accessible for operation by power communicated thereto through a respective one of the two ends of the tube and through a respective one of the pair of bearings, each said device being a complete unit assembly located entirely within the length of tubing and comprising a body fitted to the interior of the tubing to slide therein and secured thereto in a fixed position and having the said plurality of members each pivotally attached thereto and having the rotatable member rotatably mounted therein.

5. Equipment in accordance with claim 4 and wherein each end of the tube has clutch means therein to which power is applicable to rotate the spindle independently of the operation of the aforesaid roll centering and looking devices.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 892,287 Morse June 30, 1908 1,882,950 Rulon Oct. 18, 1932 2,055,039 Meisel Sept. 22, 1936 2,154,440 Crotts Apr. 18, 1939 2,443,243 Hayssen June 15, 1948 2,523,806 Bohne Sept. 26, 1950 2,601,560 Riemenschneider June 24, 1952 

